Printing plate mounting



Aug. 2, 1938. w. F. ;BRUGMANN 2,125,331

PRINTING PLATE MCUNTING Filed Dec. 26, 1933 flag)??? mag/2202272Patented Aug. 2, 1938 .UNlTED STA PATENT QFFICE PRINTENG PLATE MOUNTHNGWilliam F. Briigrnann, Evanston, Ill.

Application December 26, 1933, Serial No. 703,977

26 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in printing plate mountings, andmore particularly to devices of the character which operate in grooves,and in which grooves racks are provided '5 with which advancing andcontrolling means carried by the mounting engage, and through the mediumof which advancing means a micrometer adjustment of the device may beobtained.

Heretofore mountings or clamps of this character have generally beensecured against raising out of the groove by means of devices operatingunder an overhanging portion of the wall of the. groove, some of whichhave heretofore been held in the grooves by spring actuated deviceswhich recede as they are inserted and expand after insertion to projectunder such overhanging portions. A tool has then been used to compressthe expanded portions so as to permit the clamp or mounting to be raisedout of the groove.

While some good results have. been obtained with such a type of device,the use of the same has not been entirely satisfactory, due partially tothe uncertainty of the expanding action and the slowness of theinserting and extracting operations.

To overcome these difficulties and objections and to provide an improvedmounting or clamp of this character in which the locking elements arenormally maintained-retracted or inactive, whereby the device may beinserted entirely into and seated within the groove, after which thelocking means will be expanded by a positively actuating expandingelement, is one of the objects of the present invention.

A further object is to provide improved locking means in a device ofthis character adapted to be expanded when the device is inserted withinthe groove in a mounting base, portions of the looking elements beingarranged adjacent each end of the clamp or mounting, and which lockingelements when separated or expanded will expand at the forward end ofthe mounting first and to a greater extent than at the rear end, therebyinsuring a full hold at the plate engaging end where the greatest stressor strain of the plate thereupon is exerted, and at the same time theforward end of the locking means will be resilient, so that if duringthe advancement of the mounting or clamp device an uneven side wall orobstruction is encountered, the locking means will yield and adaptitself to such condition, by rocking upon the expander element as afulcrum, and with respect to the body of the mounting or clamp device.

A further object is to provide in a device of this character improvedlocking elements, the device (Cl. MIL-388) being so constructed that thelocking elements will have a double action, that is a torsion action isimparted to a portion of the mechanism when the locking elements arerocking upon the expander element as a fulcrum, and also a retractingmovement will be given to the elements so that they will be drawn backto their normal positions.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangementof the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed andshown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and inwhich Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of a mounting base, witha mounting or clamping device constructed in accordance'with theprinciples of this invention, secured in position with respect thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of one form of mounting device or clamp,showing the same in an unlocked. position within a groove in themounting base.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View through one side ofone of thegrooves showing the mounting or clamp device in side elevation.

Figure 4 is a detail, horizontal, sectional view taken on line 4l,Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail, vertical, sectional view taken on line 55, Figure3.

Figure 6 is a detail, vertical, sectional View taken on line 6-45,Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of another form of mounting or clampdevice.

Figure 8 is a top plan View of Figure 7, with parts broken away, andparts in section.

Figure 9 is a vertical, sectional view taken on line 9-43, Figure 7, butwith the locking lever in a locking position.

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of the form of locking elementshown in Figures 7 to 9, inclu- SlV6.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the locking element shown in Figures1 to 6, inclusive.

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view, partly broken away, partly insection, and with parts omitted, of another form of locking device orclamp.

Figure 13 is a detail perspective view of one of the locking elements ofthe form of the invention shown in Figure 12.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral l5 designates amounting base provided with grooves l6 therein preferably arrangeddiagonally thereacross. Within each of the grooves and preferablyadjacent each side wall thereof racks I? are arranged, and these racksextend substantially throughout the entire length of the grooves andmay, if formed separately, be secured in the grooves in any desired orsuitable manner. If, however, the grooves are integral with the base,they may be formed in any desired or suitable manner.

The side walls I8 above the racks may be vertical or slightly inclined,if desired, and the base adjacent the upper end of the groove ispreferably undercut to form shoulders or portions l9 which overhang thegroove, and beneath which shoulders locking elements on the mounting orclamp device are adapted to be projected for securing the clamp deviceagainst accidental vertical movement out of the groove.

The mounting or clamp device consists essentially .of a body portion 20which is preferably reduced as at 2| at the base thereof, and thereduced portion preferably moves in a groove or space 22 formed betweenthe racks IT. The bottom of the reduced portion 2| may rest upon thebottom of the space 22 or may terminate short of the bottom of the spaceso that the clamp device will be supported by the advancing andretracting means to be hereinafter described;

Within the body 20 is arranged a transverse opening extending entirelytherethrough for the reception of the advancing and propelling means,which latter consists of an element provided with portions 23 shaped toform gears on the opposite sides of the body, and these gears 23 meshwith the respective racks H in the bottom of the groove, and may serveas a means for supporting the clamp device.

The body 23 is also provided with an upwardly opening recess 24 in whichis arranged a worm 25 which rotates about an upright axis, and this worm25 meshes with a worm that is connected with the gears 23 to form aportion of that element, as is well known in this art.

The worm 25 is provided with an opening 26 therein that is angular incross section and is adapted to receive a tool through the medium ofwhich the worm 25 may be rotated, to rotate the gears 23 and therebyadvance or retract the clamp device 20, according to the direction ofrotation of the worm 25.

A plate engaging element 21 having a beveled or inclined edge 28 isprovided with a depending circular portion 29 adapted to project into anenlarged portion in the recess 24 so that one end will abut the worm 25to hold the latter in position. The plate engaging element 21 isrotatably secured to the body 20 preferably by means of fastening pins33, well known in this art. When the clamp is mounted within the grooveI6, the lower face of the plate engaging member 21 will be disposed inclose proximity to the upper face of the base l3 and is freely rotatableacross such face.

The plate engaging member 21 is provided with an opening 3! therethroughwhich registers with the opening 26 in the worm 25, but is preferably ofa diameter greater than the diameter of the opening 23. This opening 3|is preferably circular in cross section so that when a tool is insertedthrough the opening 3| into the opening 26 of the worm 25, the rotationof the tool will not be interfered with and the worm 25 may be rotatedindependently with respect to the plate enseated within these recesses32.

gaging member 21 or the projecting portion 29 thereof; 7 V v The sidewalls of the body 20 adjacent the upper edges thereof are recessed as at32, and these recesses extend for substantially the entire length of thebody portion.

Locking elements 33 which extend substantially throughout the length ofthe body portion are looking elements 33 are connected together by asubstantially U shaped spring portion 34, while One end of the the otherextremities of the elements 33 are pref- The recesses 32 are of a depthto intersect the opening in the body portion 23, as shown-more clearlyin Figures 4 and 6, and the portion- 29 adjacent such intersection is ofa diameter to extend through the intersecting opening to contact withthe adjacent faces of the locking elements 33, as shown in Figure 4, at31, and opposite faces of the portion 29 of the plate engaging elements27 are cut away as at 38 to form flat faces. The intersecting openingsbetween the recesses 32 and the opening 23 in the body of the clamp arepreferably arranged adjacent one end of the body portion and inproximity to the resilient U shaped connection 34 between the lockingelements 33.

With this construction it will be manifest that when the plate engagingelement 21 is disposed in the position shown in Figure 1 with respect tothe body portion 29, the projecting surfaces of the portion 29 of theplate engaging element will engage the faces of the locking elements 33and separate or expand them, but when the flat sur faces 38 are arrangedsubstantially parallel with the locking elements 33, the inherentresiliency of the element 34 will cause the locking elements 33 to beretracted or moved towards each other.

It will also be manifest that with this construction and when the plateengaging element 21 is rotated to move the'locking members into theposition shown in Figure 4, the forward extremities 35 of the lockingelements will be separated in advance of the other ends which areconnect ed by the resilient element 34 tocause the lock-' ing elementsto be moved beneath the shoulders iii of the groove it. This will insurea firm and positive locking of the clamp device against verticalmovement in the groove l6, at the point where the greatest stress orstrain is exerted by the printing plate.

With this construction and with the parts shown in the position inFigure 4, it will also be manifest that when the clamp device isadvanced in the groove l6 after it has been locked within the groove, inthe event that a projection or unevenness on the side walls of thegroove is encountered, the forward endsof the locking elements 33 willyield and. will rock about the con tact point 31 with the portion 29 asa fulcrum so as not to interfere with the'advancement of the clampdevice, yet at the same time the locking action of these elements 33will not be interfered with. This construction also operates to impart atorsion action to the resilient means which connects these elementsresulting in two different kinds of action, that is a torsion action aswell as an expanding and retracting action.

In inserting the device into the groove, the plate engaging element 2?is moved to the position shown in Figure 2 with respect to the body 20,and the device may then be dropped into the groove H in the base 55. Thedevice may then be locked in position by rotating the plate engagingelement 27, causing the elements 33 to be expanded or separated and tomove under the shoulders l9. For a micrometer adjustment of the clampdevice the worm 25 is rotated by means of a tool inserted through theopening 3|.

To release and remove the clamp, it is only necessary to rotate theplate engaging element 2? back to the position shown in Figure 2, whenthe device can then be freely raised and removed through the top of thegroove.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 7 to 10, similar lockingelements 39 are provided which are seated in similar recesses in theouter faces of the body 25. Substantially u shaped resilient connectionsAll are provided between the respective ends of the elements 35 andthese U shaped portions 40 extend around reduced portions 4! at the endsof the body 25. The extremities 42 of the elements 39 preferably projectbeyond the respective elements as and are preferably rounded so as notto interfere with the advancement or retraction of the clamp device.Openings 44 (see particularly Figure 8) are provided in the side wallsof the recess 55 in which the portion 29 of the plate engagingelement 27is located, and in these openings 44 balls 45 are disposed, and thediameter of the balls is such that they will project beyond both facesof the "walls of the recess 45 to be seated in seats or recesses 41 inthe adjacent face of the locking elements 39. These balls also projectinto the recess 45 to be engaged by a cam shaped portion 48 on the endof a lever 45, which latter is pivotally mounted as at 50'.

This cam shaped portion 58 is preferably in the form of a wedge havinginclined surfaces 5! and a straight or flat portion 52. The inherentresiliency of the elements 45 tend to draw the locking members 39towards each other and this resiliency forces the balls 45 inwardly tocontact with the inclined surfaces 5! of the cam shaped portion 48 whenthe end of the lever 49 is raised to the position shown in Figure '7.When, however, the end of the lever is depressed, the inclined surfaces5! will be raised, thereby separating the balls 56 and forcing thelocking elements 39 away from each other so thatthey will project underthe shoulders 19 in the groove It. The fiat portion 52 of the camelement 48 will then be moved into a position that the balls will restthereagainst so as to hold the locking elements 39 separated.

In this form of the invention it will be manifest that when the lever 49is in the position shown in Figure '7, the locking elements 59 willassume their normal retracted position. The clamp may then be insertedin the groove and moved to the desired position. The free end of thelever 55 is then depressed and the locking elements 39 will be forcedunder the shoulders 59 of the groove 5 6. After this a micrometeradjustment may be obtained in the same manner as in the form of theinvention described in connection with Figures 1 to 4. When it isdesired to remove this form of the clamp, it is only necessary to raisethe free end of the lever 49 and the clamp may then be readily removedfrom the groove.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 12 and 13, the lockingelements 53 are separate from each other and are seated Within grooves54 in the body portion 55. These locking elements project beyond theends of the body portion and are provided with inturned extremities 56to form grooves or seats 57 for the reception of the extremities 58 of acoiled spring 55 which operates as a retraction spring. The convolutionsof the spring are coiled about a projection (55 on the respective endsof the body portion 55. In this form of the invention, the lockingelements 53 will be separated against the stress of the springs 59 bythe rotation of the plate engaging element 21, in a manner similar tothe form shown in Figures 2 and 4. When the locking elements 53 areforced outwardly against the stress of the ends 58 of the spring 58,they will be projected under the shoulders l 9 of the groove 56, butwhen the projecting means for the locking-elements 53 is released orpositioned so as to permit the looking elements 53 to be moved inwardly,such movement will be accomplished by the action of the springs 58-59.

In each form of the invention the locking elements which project underthe shoulders IE will not engage the side walls of the groove l6 and forthis reason a rocking movement may be efiected so as to permit them topass obstructions on the side walls. It will further be manifest that inall forms of the invention the locking of the clamp is effected througha positive projecting of the locking elements against the stress of aretracting spring, with the result that spring action is not relied uponto eifect such a locking.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various changes may be made inthe details of construction and in the combination and arrangement ofthe several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:-

1. A printing plate clamp comprising a body insertable into a groove ina mounting base, a pair of transversely movable locking members mountedthereupon and capable of being spread apart to lock said clamp in saidgroove, means normally retracting said members, means for separatingsaid members against the stress of said retracting means, and meansmounting said locking members for movement about said separating meansas a fulcrum.

2. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally and bodilymovable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means connecting and forming an integral part of the saidmembers at one end and operating to normally retract said members, andmeans operating between said members for separating them.

3. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally and bodilymovable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means connecting the said members at one end and operating tonormally retract said members, and means operating between said membersfor separating them, said body being reduced at one end, said resilientmeans comprising a spring element engaging and extending about saidreduced end.

4. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally and bodilymovable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means connecting said members adjacent the end thereof andoperating to normally retract saidmembers, separating means operatingbetween said members to move them against the stress of said retractingmeans and about which separating means said members are adapted to moveas a fulcrum.

5. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally and bodilymovable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means connecting said members adjacent the end thereof andoperating to normally re-, tract said members, separating meansoperating between said members to move them against the stress of saidretracting means and about which separating means said members move as afulcrum, said separating means also operating to impart a torsionalmovement to said members.

6. A printing, plate clamp embodying a body portion, iaterally andbodilymovable locking.

members extending along the sides of said body, resilient meansoperating to normally retract said members, and actuating meansoperating between said members at points spaced from the ends of themembers to separate them, the for- Ward ends of said members beinglaterally yieldable and movable upon saidsactuating means as a fulcrum.

7. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally and bodilymovable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means operating to normally retract said members, andactuating means operating between said members at points spaced from theends of the members to separate them and impart a torsional movement tosaid resilient means, the for ward ends of said members being laterallyyieldable and movable upon said actuating means as a fulcrum. V

8. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally and bodilymovable locking members at the sides and extending lengthwise of saidbody, resilient means operating to normally retract said members, andmeans embodying a cam device mounted for movement about a fixedhorizontal pivot and operating between said members for separating themagainst the stress of the said resilient means.

9. A printing plate clamp embodying'a body portion, laterally and bodilymovable locking members at the sides and extending lengthwise of thesaid body, resilient means operating to normally retract said members,and a separator operating between said members to separate and move theminto locking positions, the forward ends of said members being laterallyyieldable when in locking position.

10. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally andbodily movabie locking members at the sides and extending lengthwise ofthe said body, resilient means operating to normally retract saidmembers, and a separator operating between said members to separate andmove them into locking positions, the forward ends of said members beinglaterally yieldable when in looking position, said separator embodying acam element movable between the said members on a fixed horizontalpivot.

11. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally andbodily movable locking members at the sides and extending lengthwise ofthe said body, resilient means operating to normally retract saidmembers, a separator operating between said members to separate and movethem into locking positions, the forward ends of said members beinglaterally yieldable when in locking position, said separator embodying acam element movable between said members, and an actuating lever mountedto swing upon a fixed horizontal pivot and to which lever said .camelement is connected.

12. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally andbodily movable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means connecting the said members at one end and operating tonormally retract said members, and means operating between said membersfor separating them, the forward ends of said members extending beyondthe adjacent end of said body and being rounded or curved.

13. A printin plate clamp. comprising'a body portion, locking meansembodying locking members at the sides and extending lengthwise of thebody, means normally retracting said members, and means for impartinglaterally separating and torsional movements to said locking means.

14. A'printing plate clamp comprising a body portion, locking meansembodying locking members at the sides and extending lengthwise of thebody, means normally retracting said members, and means for impartinglaterally separating and torsional movements to said locking means, oneend or" said members when in looking positicn being laterally yieldable.

15. A printing plate clamp ,comprising a body, locking members extendinglengthwise of the body and projectable beyond the sides thereof intolocking position, means operating to normally retract said members, theforward ends of said members when in locking position being laterallyyieldable.

16. A printing plate clamp embodying a body, laterally and bodilymovable locking members extending lengthwise of the body andpi'ojectable beyond the sides thereof into a locking position, resilientmeans connecting said members and tending normally to retract them, anda separator operating between said members to project them into lockingposition and to separate one end thereof to a greater extent than theother end.

17. A plate printing clamp embodying a body portion, laterally andbodily movable locking members extending along the sides of said body,downwardly extending resilient means connecting said members andoperating to normally retract them, and means operating .between saidmembers. and in a direction transverse to the length of said members forseparating them.

18. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally andbodily movable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means operating to normally retract said members, andactuating means operating between said members at peints spaced from theends of the members to separate them and impart a torsional movement tosaid resilient means, both ends of said members being laterallyyieldable and movable upon said actuating means'as a fulcrum.

19. In a printing plate clampga body insertable into a groove in amounting base, a locking element movable transversely with respect tothe longitudinal diameter of the body, means nor mally retracting saidelement, and means movable in a plane along the longitudinal axis ofsaid body and upon a horizental pivot for'projecting said element beyondthe side of said body and against the stress of said retracting means.

20. A printing plate clamp embodying body portion, a laterally andbodily movable locking member extendingalong the side of said body,

means operating to normally retract said member, and means operable uponsaid member and mounted upon a horizontal axis transverse to thelongitudinal diameter of the said body, to project the said memberbeyond the side of said body and against the stress of the first saidmeans.

21. In a printing plate clamp, a body insertable intoa groove in amounting base, a locking member projectable beyond the side of saidbody, means operating normally to retract said member, and meansoperable in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of said body forprojecting said member beyond the side of the body, a portion of thelast said means being accessible at the top of said body, the saidportion embodying an element movable about a horizontal pivot andadapted to be positioned substantially flush with the top of said bodywhen the said locking member is projected.

22. In a printing plate clamp, a body insertable into a groove in amounting base, a locking member carried by and projectable beyond theside of said body, means operating normally to retract said member, andmeans for projecting the said member beyond the side of the body, meansmounting the last recited means whereby a portion of the last said meanswill be disposed adjacent and adapted to be moved out of andsubstantially into the plane of the top of said body and about ahorizontal pivot.

23. In a printing plate clamp, a body insertable into a groove in amounting base, a locking member carried by and projectable beyond theside of said body, means operating normally to retract said member, andmeans mounted for movement about a horizontal pivot for projecting thesaid member beyond the side of the body, a portion of the last saidmeans being disposed adjacent and movable out of and substantially intothe plane of the top of said body.

24. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally andbodily movable locking members extending along the sides of said body,resilient means connecting the said members at both ends thereof andoperating to normally retract said members, and means operating betweensaid members for separating them.

25. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion, laterally andbodily movable locking members extending along the sides of said body, avertically disposed substantially U shaped spring connecting the saidmembers at one end and operating to normally retract said members, andmeans operating between said members for separating them.

26. A printing plate clamp embodying a body portion and bodily movablelocking members extending along the sides of said body, a verticallydisposed and substantially U shaped spring arranged adjacent andconnecting the said members at each end and operating to normallyretract said members, and means operating between said members forseparating them.

WILLIAM F. BRIIGMANN.

